Relive Penn State's blocked field goal versus Ohio State that will stir the Playoff debate

Published Dec. 9, 2016 12:46 p.m. ET

Barry Werner

There is one play that will stir the controversy over the College Football Playoff debate more than any other.

That play happened in State College, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 22, when Ohio State lined up for a field goal against Penn State.

The 45-yard attempt by Tyler Durbin was blocked by the Nittany Lions' Marcus Allen.

It was picked up by Grant Haley, who returned it 60 yards for a touchdown that gave Penn State a 24-21 lead and the victory.

"We watched the video on Sunday, and Haley’s one of the fastest guys on our team," Penn State coach James Franklin said the next day. "But he almost got walked down by their kicker and holder at the end of the run. I think he knew he would’ve never heard the end of it in the locker room if that happened,”

And now with College Football Playoff bids on the line, no one will hear the end of that play. Certainly, no one in Columbus, Ohio, or State College.

The play wound up being the tiebreaker in Big Ten play and sent Penn State into the conference championship, where the Nittany Lions upended Wisconsin on Saturday.

That sets up the discussion of whether a two-loss, conference champion in Penn State should be a College Football Playoff bid as opposed to a one-loss Ohio State team.